Within my Reach
by Llttlelie
Summary: The world around her shaped at her will. She only needed her tablet and pen, and she could make her wildest dreams come true. She didn't need anything else, or that's what she thought. She didn't know of anything else, after all. AU.
1. Her world

**Ch. 1. Her world**

For Marinette, the world was something she could shape at her will. Her surroundings changed at her every whim, and her imagination ran wild every day. She only needed her faithful tablet and her pen, and she could do anything if she put her mind into it. She could make it rain, make it snow, or make the sun shine in the most beautiful spring morning.

She had lost count of how much time she'd spent in that fantastical world. She used to wonder what would become of her, now that she was trapped in there, but after so long, she stopped asking herself that.

Nothing changed. When she closed her eyes, she was in that world, and when she woke up every day, she was lying on the same cosy bed, with pink fluffy pillows and a darker pink blanket. No matter what she did, her tablet always lied beside her, and even thought she'd wondered about that too, she'd stopped after a while.

Maybe she'd just forgotten how to think at all.

It was understandable. After all, that world belonged to her and only her, and every day it went on. She was always surprised of what she'd be able to find, to create, to bump into in the complex creations that came from her own mind. There was no time to get bored in there.

There was nobody there, but she didn't felt lonely. It didn't bother her at all.

When the spacious room bored her, she just needed to erase the walls, and the outside world was waiting for her, just within her reach. What would it be today? Green hills, with tall grass swaying with the soft wind? Rocky mountains with steep drops?

Or maybe it would be something that couldn't possibly exist in the outside world, like prairies of purple grass, three moons shining in a night sky filled with thousands of bright stars. Maybe there would be a gravy path leading to a temple at the distance, with stained glasses with so many colours she couldn't name them all.

So that's how she spent her days; running, flying, shaping the world around her to her every desire. She had never been happier, or so she thought. She didn't remember anything else, after all.

That day she laid down on her favourite hill, the sun making the bright green grass shine and warming her pale skin. She closed her eyes, basking on the sun and breathing in the smell of pure nature surrounding her.

 _"_ _I love your garden, Marinette!"_

She sat down abruptly, looking around. The scenery looked the same as always, but something was different. She… she'd heard someone, hadn't she?

She placed her hands on the slightly moist soil and stood up. Her loose hair danced around with the wind, just like the grass did, and when the wind picked up, the thin threads began getting into her eyes. She mindlessly reached for her tablet and drew her hair in two ponytails and a straw hat on her head. She walked down the hill, not stopping from looking around for what could have possibly made that sound, but she came out empty.

It had been strange, she thought afterwards. It hadn't been a sound she was used to, at least she didn't remember hearing it before. It wasn't like the running of the river, the soft pit-patter of the rain, or the distant chipping of the birds… she'd actually understood its meaning.

A thought came to her mind at that. Was… was someone speaking? Could people speak? Could _she_ speak? She'd always made small noises, but she'd never tried talking. She didn't have anyone to talk to, anyway.

She opened her mouth and caught a mouthful of air, and when she let it go, her lips moved on their own accord, making words as the air came out of her mouth.

"Hello?"

She _did_ talk! She wanted to laugh in joy. It was amazing! Words didn't stop spilling from her lips, forming sentences that maybe didn't make any sense, but she didn't care. She could speak, after all!

But, another part of her mind retorted, why would she want to talk if she had no one to talk to in the first place? Once realizing that, the green landscape seemed somewhat duller, and her joyous smile fell a little. She didn't know anyone else but herself. She felt a little pang of longing in her chest, one that kept on growing as she learned more about the world.

She felt alone.

Gripping tightly at her tablet, she drew her room once again and let herself fall on her bed. She curled around a fluffy pillow and covered her body with the blanket, wishing that the soft cloth could soothe her aching chest. She wanted her peace to come back, to forget that, some time ago, maybe she hadn't been all by herself.

As she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts changed, and a wish was made. It wasn't a beg for obliviousness, but for someone's company. She didn't want to feel alone again.

When she opened her eyes the next day, a pair of green eyes stared back at her. She sat down and observed the creature in front of her, and her fingers hesitated just before touching it. She caressed lightly those pointy ears and the fur of its neck, earning a purr in appreciation. She giggled at the ticklish sensation against her fingertips.

"Are you… a cat?" she asked the creature, and it in response looked down to his paws, then raised his gaze to her before nodding. Her eyes widened at that. "You understand me?"

He gave another nod, and Marinette giggled at how cute the cat was.

"Do you have a name, kitty?"

The cat nodded again, but when he opened his tiny mouth to answer, only a 'mrew' came out of it. If cats could frown, he'd have the darkest scowl of them all. She patted him behind the ears, and he dropped his scowl, purring in delight instead.

"Don't worry if you can't speak right now, _chaton_. I just remembered how to speak yesterday. You'll get the hang of it in no time."

The cat cocked his head to the side, his eyes curious, and she had to stifle a squeal. He was adorable!

"But in the meantime… how about I give you a name?" he meowed, and she took that as a yes. "Mm… how about Chat Noir? Do you like it?" he meowed again, but this time he stood up and rubbed his head against her cheek, the soft strands tickling her. She laughed.

"Chat Noir it is!" She stood up and grabbed the cat from his armpits so they were eye to eye, his legs wiggling in the air. He didn't seem to be bothered by it. "Now! Do you want to see my world?"

"Meow."

"Perfect!"

She put him down and reached for her tablet, promptly erasing the walls of her room. The purple light of the twilight highlightened the bluish surface of the floating platforms around them, each one close enough to each other so they could jump from one to another, making up infinite paths. There was a soft rumble of water running under a 30 feet drop.

Chat Noir walked to the edge and looked down, the fur of his back standing up a little. She crouched beside him and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry! This world's special. You won't fall, I promise."

If cats could look sceptical, the one in front of her would be a great example.

"Come on! Have a little faith!"

She decided to show him first, but just when she was about to jump she paused and looked down at him. He was so little, and this world could be so vast… she didn't want him to get lost.

An idea came to her, and she reached for her tablet resting on her hip. She doodled on it, and in less than a minute, a black collar appeared around Chat's neck, a golden bell resting between his collarbones. He eyed down curiously and flicked it with his paw, making the bell chime.

"Do you like it, Chat? It'll help me find you if you get lost."

He nodded and rubbed himself around her legs, earning a chuckle from the girl.

"Okay, let's go!"

She took two steps back, then ran full speed ahead, jumping just before reaching the edge. She cherished the weightless feeling just at the moment when her body decided to fall, and her two feet landed softly on the little platform. She turned around and gave him a winning smile.

"Come on! You just need to think where you want to land, and you will!"

He followed reluctantly, and landed on the platform beside her. He was still tense, but she could see the spark of curiosity in those intelligent eyes. She jumped again and he followed, following whatever direction they wanted. Gravity bent at their will, time almost slowing down when she wanted to twirl in the air.

They reached a floating island, the night sky dark enough for stars to be seen. Foliate trees surrounded the island, and in the middle of the forest, the trees cleared out to leave space for a lake, the two full moons reflected on its still surface.

Just as Marinette stepped at the clearing, hundreds of fireflies took flight, putting to shame the stars shining in the sky. She danced to the rhythm of music she could only hear, Chat Noir hot on her hills. She picked him up, and laughed heartedly when his limbs dangled whenever she made a twirl.

And days went by like this – she would wake up, only to find Chat Noir curled against her, waiting for her to wake up so they could play. She would show him her favourite places, or make them as they went, and every day was funnier than the one before.

Marinette had never been more content.

Then, it came the day that, when she woke up, instead of a cat, a boy was lying beside her. His blonde hair was wild and mused with sleep, but what caught her attention was the pair of cat ears on his head, which twitched in his sleep. She also noticed the tail, which swayed lightly behind him.

She reached for one of his ears, and was surprised to find the touch different from Chat Noir's ears. They weren't velvety, but smoother, like leather. The bow answered to her touch burying his head more into her pillow.

"Hey…" She shook him lightly. His head suddenly shot up, and if she hadn't been lying on the middle of the bed, she would've probably fallen to the floor in surprise.

The boy in front of her blinked, trying to focus his beady eyes on her. When his eyes opened enough to let her see their green colour, he smiled lazily and butted his head to her cheek. His wild hair tickled her.

"… Mornin'…" he mumbled, sighing in content.

"Good morning to you too. Um…" She bit her lip, not really sure how to address the elephant in the room, and the blond boy looked up again, watching her curiously. She decided to ask directly. "Just… who are you?"

"What?" He looked at her incredulous, then down at his hands. His human hands. He rushed out of the bed and headed to the mirror, looking at his very human features.

"…Why do I keep having ears?" he muttered, and the ears twitched in response.

Marinette wasn't really sure how to react to the stranger in her room. On the one hand, _there was a stranger_. In her room. But in the other hand… there was someone in her room. After so long being alone, there was someone else beside her.

Moreover, he somehow seemed familiar; although she was quite sure she hadn't seen him in her life. It was those eyes, she decided, those deep green eyes that reminded her of the green leaves of the trees bathed in sunlight. She had seen them before, she knew she did, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly where…

Something chimed in his neck, and her eyes darted from his face to the golden bell of his collar, a collar she knew really well. She had designed it, after all.

"… Chat Noir?" His ears perked up at that, and he turned to look at her. "You're my kitty?"

His whole face brightened at her question. "Yes! I'm Chat!"

"And why are you human?

"That's because I'm a human."

She frowned. "But you were a cat."

His ears twitched at that, and he sighed. "It seems I still am."

Marinette gave the boy a once-over. The poor boy fidgeted in her scrutiny, and his ears were against his head, giving the image of a kitty being scolded. She ignored the soft tug her heart gave at that utterly adorable scene, and shrugged, trying to let him know everything was right.

"Well, what do you want to do today, _chaton?_ "

They returned to their routine, exploring all the worlds brought to life from her drawings. They raced each other on rainbows, and laid on fluffy clouds, making shapes with them and trying to guess what the other was making. The only thing that had changed was that, when Marinette talked, Chat answered.

He told her about his world, something he couldn't control unlike she did with hers, and how he felt truly free when he was in her world. He also managed to draw what his room looked like on her tablet, and the walls transformed around them like usual.

She learnt every little detail of his room, as he had done with hers. He had some pictures of a woman she later learnt was his mother. He told her she was gone, but when she asked him where she was, he couldn't answer, and a sour look came to his face. It was something she'd never seen on the boy, and something she'd hated the first moment she saw it, so she changed the subject as fast as she could.

Luckily, that look never returned to his face.

Every day, when she woke up, Chat was by her side, often awake and waiting for her to wake up, but sometimes she was the one who had to wait. His expression was calm and peaceful when he slept, nothing like the huge grins he wore when he was awake. She would never get tired of the sight.

But then he would get up, and a new day would begin. And no matter where they went, they always fell asleep together, one against the other and hearing each other's breaths even out.

Marinette had never felt so happy.

 _That_ day started just like any other one. She had waken up first, so she decided to prepare a little surprise for her _chaton_. It had been a while since she'd been to the hills with deep green grass, the place that had made her ask for company in the first place. Directly or indirectly, it was thanks to that place that she had Chat by her side, and she wanted to tell him about it.

So she drew vast hills with grass that reached her ankles, and skies so blue that would make any painter feel the rush to paint it. She looked through the window as she cleared every cloud from the sky, and made the temperature warm enough to wear T-shirts. She then drew a soft breeze caressing the grass, which made soft wavy movements that could inspire even the most analytical of the minds.

Marinette waited patiently for Chat Noir to wake up, designing her clothes to pass up time. She draw on herself a pink skirt that reached her knees and a marble camisole tucked under it. In her head rested a wide straw hat, and her hair was tucked in two pigtails.

She heard a soft moan coming from the bed, and she turned around, ecstatic.

"Good morning, Chaton!"

"… mornin'. What got you so happy?"

"I'm going to take you somewhere new today. You'll love it, I'm sure."

His eyes cleared at that, and an excited grin began forming on his lips. "Really?"

She nodded, her pigtails bobbling up and down with her head. "Really, really."

She grabbed her tablet to erase the walls at the same time he put his feet on the ground, and then is when it happened. The walls of the room glitched, the reality looking distorted and fragile before it started to unravel around them. What was her room turned into blank space, and blank space turned into a brand new landscape, with wide streets and cream buildings at each side of the road. It was a place she had never seen before, but it felt familiar, somehow.

"Where are we…?" she muttered, anxiety pilling up in her chest. There was no one else but them, but she didn't expect it being otherwise.

"… This is Paris." Chat answered, his eyes wide and mouth agape. Marinette turned to look at him.

"You know this place?"

"Yes. This is where I live." She took a sharp intake of breath at that. "Is this where you wanted to take me?"

She shook his head and showed him her tablet. It looked glitched and totally useless. "Something's wrong. Everything changed on its own accord, I had nothing to do with this, and I can't change it back either."

This was bad. This was 20 different kinds of bad. That had never happened before. She'd always been in control of every aspect of her reality, and she didn't like one bit where this was going. If she couldn't change anything, how would she fix things? She felt totally useless, and anxiety started pilling up inside her.

A hand outstretched in front of her, and she blinked at it confused. She looked up only to see Chat with his reassuring smile of his. She didn't know why, but she already felt better.

"Why don't we take a look around? Maybe we can find out what's wrong and fix it."

She worried her lip, still hesitant, but nodded. She placed her hand in his, and he secured his grip intertwining their fingers. They walked down the street, trying to find anything that could have caused this problem, but they didn't find a single clue.

That was until Marinette's eyes landed on a certain building.

Her feet stopped, and her whole body turned to face it. It looked just like the other ones, with cream-coloured frontage and three floors, the bottom one being a shop of some sort, with wide windowpanes that let them see the interior. It looked just as empty as the other buildings, but somehow, she had felt something beckoning towards it.

But, instead of giving in to her sudden desire, she stood there, frozen and uncertain, looking through the wide windows. Chat seemed to catch her hesitance and squeezed her hand lightly, a soft reassurance she didn't know she needed.

"Should we go in?"

Marinette swallowed down her instant negative and nodded hastily instead. She squared her shoulders and made a step forward, Chat immediately at her side. Once they were at the front door, she took a deep breath and opened it, ready to face whatever it was waiting for them there.

The soft aroma of vanilla and just made bread filled her lungs. The inside of the shop gave off an aura of warmth and care, with pastel colours on their walls and furniture, and matching décor. Rows of cakes, coulants, macarons and oh so many more pastries greeted them, and she could feel her mouth watering just by the sight of them.

But what had rooted her feet to the floor were the people.

After spending so long thinking there was no one but her in her world, she would never stop herself from being surprised when someone else came her way, as if it was a twisted way the world had to prove her wrong. It had started with Chat Noir, reminding her that, in fact, she felt utterly alone all by herself.

However, there wasn't one but five people inside the shop. They didn't seem to have heard the door opening, and by the looks of it, neither they seemed to notice their presence inside the room. One woman got up and walked through them effortlessly, and she couldn't stop but shuddering from head to toe.

"What's going on?" Chat muttered under his breath.

"They're part of the glitch, I think. They're not really here."

She let go of his hand to walk closer to the cash desk. There was a short woman standing behind it, her dark bluish hair tucked up in a high bun. Her Asian features were soft and caring, and she could feel how all her attention was put on the woman in front of her, asking for a Mont Blanc. Her heart clenched at the sight, and she suddenly craved for the gentle touch of the woman.

"Maman!"

A cheerful voice snapped her out of her reverie, and she turned to see who had cheered like that. A little girl with two high pigtails ran towards the woman tending the _patisserie_ , her ladybug wings wiggling when she jumped in front of her. The woman caught her in the air, laughing along with the little girl, and rubbed their noses together.

"Hello, my little ladybug. How was your day at school?"

"Very good!" she chipped, "I played with lots of kids and all wore dresses like me! Then kitty and I were superheroes and defeated all the baddies!"

"That sounds like a really fun day, Marinette."

The older girl made a strangled sound, and then proceeded to look closer to the girl bouncing on her mother's arms. Now that she was paying more attention to her, she could clearly see they looked alike; hell, they were almost identical! She wanted to kick herself for not noticing earlier.

But one moment. If that little girl was her, that meant that the woman holding her was…

She didn't need to look back to know just who had placed a hand on her shoulder. She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and leaned on him, needing him to ground her before she lost her mind completely. He didn't ask, just held her closer until she caught her breath.

In the background, little Marinette was sitting on the desk, dandling her little legs, and kept talking to her mother animatedly while she tended the customers. She greeted the customers with a huge smile on her face, and helped giving them the boxes with their order. Her mother gave her a cookie for her efforts and she squealed with delight.

She munched down on the cookie, and when she finished, she jumped down the desk and rushed to a closed door at the back, closing the door behind her.

"Should we follow her?" Marinette turned around to see Chat's questioning gaze, worry evident in his face.

She gulped and nodded, steeling herself for whatever was waiting for them in the glitch. He held her hand again, and Marinette couldn't help but think how much she'd missed his hand in hers, even though it had just been mere minutes.

She let him take her to the white door. He stood to the side, waiting for her to be ready. She placed her hand on the wood, the surface feeling smooth, cool and way to _real_ under her touch, and pushed.

They walked into a professional-looking kitchen. The smell of sweets was even stronger in there, and it made her mouth water. When had it been the last time she'd eaten? She couldn't remember having breakfast today. Had Chat and her ever done a picnic?

A door at the back opened, and Marinette walked inside. The girl looked slightly older than before, wearing her hair tucked in a ponytail instead of the two high pigtails of before. She was carrying a bag of sugar, and for the looks of it, it was pretty heavy.

A man with broad shoulders and a smile as sweet as the smell of the kitchen followed her, carrying a bag of flour as big as her. He was whistling a cheery tune, his movements matching the rhythm. He dropped the bag on the counter unceremoniously, and then reached for Marinette's hand, making her spin around the room. Giggles filled the room.

"Papa, stop! I'm dizzy!"

"Okay, okay." He let her go with a soft chuckle. "So, you wanted to know how to make bread, right?"

"Yes!" She bobbled her head up and down enthusiastically.

"First of all, we need all the ingredients. We've got sugar and flour so far, but what else do we need?"

She cocked her head, deep in thought. "Mm… water?"

"Yes, and also oil and salt. But there's an essential ingredient we're forgetting here. Do you remember how it's called?" Little Marinette looked at the table, brows furrowed and looking completely lost. He nudged her a bit. "It begins with a Y…"

Her face brightened up and turned to her father, excited. "Yaist!"

He chuckled. "Almost. It's yeast. Do you know why we need it?"

"It makes the bread grow!" She threw her arms to the air, mimicking the growth with childish enthusiasm.

He laughed at that and patted her head, earning a happy giggle in return. He gave her a little pink apron and she tied it around her waist, just like his father.

"Okay, wait here while I get all the ingredients. Then I'll show you, okay?"

"I wanna help with the ingredients too!"

Marinette rushed to the storage, ignoring her father's cries asking her to stop running in the kitchen. The door of the storage closed behind her, and only two seconds after that, they heard a strong sound coming from the room. Marinette's father rushed to the door and opened it, just to see an ocean of white at the other side, the tiny girl in the centre of the mess, covered in flour from head to toe, and looking at him with wide eyes.

"I-it fell on its own!" she spluttered, and with every word, clouds of flour came from her mouth. She winced and looked down, remorseful. "… I'm sorry."

"Don't worry for the mess, _ma coccinelle_. Are you hurt?" She shook her head, flour falling from her head at the action. "I'm glad. Why don't you go and clean yourself? I'll take care of the mess, and then we can resume the class. Deal?"

"Okay!" she sprung up and ran outside, flour following her and falling to the floor, leaving the kitchen dirty, and probably the rest of the house. She ignored once again her father asking her to stop running in her eagerness to get clean.

The man sighed tiredly at the dirty kitchen, but amusement was clear in his eyes. "I'll better start, then, before she comes back."

He began sweeping the floor, whistling that little song of before and coordinating his sweeping at the rhythm of the jingle.

The knot in Marinette's chest eased up at that scene, and she felt that, despite the situation was unreal, nerve-wracking and absolutely weird, maybe it wasn't that bad.

"Well, it seems you were a bug of a kind, my Lady," Chat quipped beside her and bumped their shoulders playfully.

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile at his teasing. "Should we keep going?"

He bowed and threw her a wink. "Lead the way."

They stepped out of the kitchen and walked out at the patisserie again, and just as the door closed behind them, the main door opened. Marinette's father walked in, a worried frown on his face, and Marinette followed behind. She had the biggest scowl marring her face, her pout buried deep within a fluffy scarf.

"What happened, Tom?" her mother asked, stepping out of the cash desk.

 _Tom_ sighed. "Our little girl has hit a friend at class today."

"Chloe isn't my _friend_ ," Marinette grumbled, crossing her arms and looking to the side, "she picks on everyone just because her father is rich, and she laughed at Rose's dress today."

"That's not excuse to hit someone, Marinette. You should've told your teacher and let her deal with it."

"But the teachers never do anything! They don't even scold her! That's not fair." She stomped at the floor, her fists clenched tight on her sides.

"Either way, you've hit someone, and that isn't okay. I don't care if she deserves it. Go to your room, and your papa and I will think of your punishment."

"But-!"

Her mother interrupted her before she kept going. "Marinette, don't make me repeat myself."

You could see how the girl lost her will to fight, her shoulders slumping and head hanging low. All the anger on her face was replaced with a little pout, and with a muttered 'yes, maman'; she climbed up the stairs home. Both adults watched her go.

"She's too self-righteous for her own good," the older woman muttered, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Reminds me of someone I know. Do you remember how I met you, Sabine? You were punching a guy in the face because he was trying to make a move on a girl."

"She clearly looked uncomfortable!" she protested, "but I was seventeen, not ten. She's still too little, she doesn't know when it's better to step back. It could get her in trouble."

Tom placed his hands on her waist. "Well, that's what we're here for, isn't it? To protect her in every decision she makes."

"You're right…" She rested her forehead on his, a sweet smile on her lips. "Do you mind tending the shop a bit? I have a batch of cookies that are begging me to finish them."

"Of course."

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and dropped his hands. Sabine left to the kitchen, while he moved to stand behind the cash desk.

Marinette and Adrien didn't need to ask each other before heading to the stairs, prepared to follow the little girl. They opened the main door of what she assumed was their home. They waited silently for something to happen, just like the other times, but nothing changed.

"They are really sweet," Chat said beside her.

They. Not your parents, _they_. They both knew who they were and what meant for her, but instead of addressing the matter verbally, he'd noticed her hesitance and decided to give her space.

When had he learnt so much about her? Gratefulness overflowed her as she thanked whoever had been responsible for bringing him to her when she needed it the most. She didn't know how to put her swirling emotions on words, so she squeezed his hand, leaning on his shoulder, hoping he got the message.

She felt his eyes on her, and her cheeks felt very warm all of the sudden, but risked looking up at him. His smile wasn't one she was used to see, devilish and cunning, and with a dash of what she could only name as freedom; but it was softer and reached his eyes, the vibrant green accepting and warm.

She realized she was staring way too much and averted her eyes, her cheeks burning at that point. Her eyes landed on the white stairs going up to the second floor. She raised her head from his shoulder (albeit it was really comfortable, and she didn't feel like moving at all), and the pair walked towards it, climbing up.

She opened the hatch and looked around the spacious room, stifling a gasp. The pink walls were decorated with colourful drawings of all kinds, blending together in a vibrant collage. Other Marinette was lying on a chaise and drawing absentmindedly on a notebook, her tongue sticking up slightly from her mouth. She looked older, maybe fourteen, and their resemblance was quite nerve-wracking, if she was being honest.

She climbed up the last of the stairs and walked in the room, looking around herself. Now that she watched them closely, almost all the drawings were of clothes, and she was quite impressed of the quality of the work.

"Hmm, these are really good. Can't say I haven't seen it before, though," Chat commented.

She turned around, just to see him looking at what her other self was drawing. She got near them and looked too. It was a combination of a wide white blouse and a skirt draped around the waist and falling to the knees of the mannequin. She looked down at herself, and saw she was wearing the same thing as the drawing. She paled slightly at it.

Before she could dwell on her thoughts, the trapdoor opened again, and a girl with chestnut hair walked in.

"Hey girl!"

Said girl lifted her gaze, and a smile broke into her face. "Alya!" She put the notebook aside and put her feet to the floor, tapping at the space beside her. Said girl sat down next to Marinette.

"Did I interrupt your brainstorming?" she asked. Marinette shook her head.

"Nah, I was just doodling something."

"Can I see?"

"Of course!"

She opened the notebook on the page where she had drawn her last sketch and handed it to the other girl. Alya stared at the design in front of her, a smile growing on her lips.

"Girl, this is awesome! Simple, yet stylish at the same time. And it would totally suit you."

Marinette cocked her head, frowning lightly. "I don't know… it's a bit rough around the edges…"

"Then you give it a little bit of time, and you'll have yet another beautiful design. Courtesy of the upcoming number one designer of Paris. Your designs will be exposed on runaways of the most important shows, and your brand will be as known as Channel, Dolce & Gabbana or Agreste himself!"

She giggled. "If you say so, Alya."

"Of course I say so! Because I'll be the one who'll get to interview you. I will be the best journalist of Paris, after all."

"Aw, but why stick to Paris? Let's travel the world!"

"Fine by me!"

Both of girls burst out laughing, their giggles loud and chipper. They calmed down after a while, enjoying each other's company and the sunlight coming from outside.

"Mari, you know I love you, right?"

Marinette turned her head to look at Alya. "Yeah, why?"

"Nothing. I just wanted you to know. I'm just glad I met you a year ago and you let me be your friend, that's all. I never had someone I could laugh at stupid things on my other _collège_. You mean a lot to me."

"Alya…" She smiled to the girl. "I'm glad I met you too. And how could I not be your friend, after you defended me so fiercely against Chloe, no less! You're practically my hero."

"You're so adorable!" Alya went and hugged her tightly. "God, I love you, I love your designs, I love your home-made cookies, I even love your garden, Marinette! People of the world, forget about having my friend here, because she's all mine! We'll marry and adopt three kids and a hamster."

"Can we name them Hugo, Emma and Louis?"

"Whatever you wish, my dear."

Both girls giggled again. Suddenly, Alya's phone beeped and she reached for it, frowning at the screen. "Shoot. My mother needs me to babysit the little monsters. It seems our hand out has been cut short."

"I don't mind. Have fun with the kiddos!"

" _Monsters,_ Marinette. They're monsters and they know it."

"I think they're sweet."

She threw her hands to the air, mocking exasperation. "Of course you do. Anyway, I've got to go now. Talk to you later!"

"Bye!"

Alya left the room, leaving Marinette alone in her room. She picked up her notebook and began another sketch this time of a dress. After five minutes or so, she stretched, making a tiny sound of contentment when she let her limbs fall.

"… Now I want some cookies. Damn, it, Alya."

She placed her notebook aside, the pencil falling on the floor. She didn't bother to pick it up before heading out of her room, leaving the other Marinette and Chat alone.

"… Hey, Marinette. Should I be jealous of Alya?" He smirked, but his smile fell a little when he saw the look on her face. Her mind was clearly somewhere else, and her brows were furrowed in concentration, almost as she was trying to solve the mysteries of the universe.

Her eyes snapped to him. "Chat… when has it been the last time we've eaten?"

She saw his face go from confusion to pensive. He cocked his head, and his pensive expression turned into a frowny one. He shook his head. "I… I don't remember. I don't think we've eaten since I started coming here."

Marinette stared to the floor, her face blank. They… they had never eaten together before. That meant she'd been… how many weeks? without eating, or drinking for that matter, a single thing. How was it possible? She didn't remember even having the craving to eat in a long time.

"Marinette? Are you okay?"

Her eyes snapped up at his concerned face. She put her hands behind her back so he couldn't see her hands shaking and smiled at him in reassurance, but she knew she wasn't fooling anyone.

"It's nothing. Let's keep going, okay?"

His eyes lingered on her face, searching for something, she wasn't sure of what specifically, though. She tried to seem as earnest as possible, trying her best not to freak out, and he nodded reluctantly. He reached for her hand hesitantly, and she placed her hand in his, trying her hardest to stop them from shaking so much.

When they reached the main floor, it was only to see her dark hair disappearing behind a closed door, and they followed her to the street.

An eerie feeling overcame her the moment she stepped out of the bakery. The once empty streets were now full of people, and Other Marinette made her way around effortlessly, soon putting a good amount of space between them.

"Come on, or we'll lose her," he urged, and she let him guide her.

Anxiety began pilling up inside her at every step they took, long forgotten memories finally coming back to her once empty mind. She remembered the joy she felt every time she got to help her mother at the shop when she was little, and how sweet the cookies were once they finished working.

She remembered the frustration she felt every time she wasn't able to stop Chloe and her bullying, and the anger she felt when she got scolded for protecting someone from the bratty girl.

She remembered how happy she'd been the day she met Alya and shared a macaron with her, and how happy she kept on making her when she was so supporting of her dreams, no matter how wild they were.

And she remembered that day too. It was a normal day like any other one. Her alarm had rung late, and she was running late for class. She was in the middle of her _Terminale,_ and she wanted to end it without a remark for her lateness for once.

She turned left and crossed the street, barely avoiding a bike, which had made her stumble, but luckily, not fall. She sighed in relief and ran to the other sidewalk, ready to resume her running when she heard it.

Because of the big crowd crossing the street, a little boy had lost his grip from his mother's hand. he'd stumbled to the floor and scrapped his knees just at the same time the traffic lights changed. Suddenly, a car came from the right, going way faster that what was allowed, and it didn't slow down, even though the child was still kneeling down on the pavement. The driver possibly didn't see him, being in such a hurry.

But Other Marinette did.

Marinette's eyes widened as she remembered what happened then. Other Marinette turned around, and noticed both things. She dropped her bag to the floor.

"No, no, no, NO, NO!" Marinette screamed when she saw her other self rush to the kid, jumping to reach him on time.

She saw the car coming for them in slow motion, the driver finally realizing there was someone in his way and stepping on the break, but it was too late. Marinette's arms draped the child and she held him against her, turning so her body covered the kid from the impact.

Chat turned her around and pressed her head against his chest. "I don't think you should see this," he said, his voice rough.

But she still could hear it. She heard the collision, and it felt like it was her the one getting hit. She heard the screams of terror at the accident, and the door of the car opening, the driver sobbing. She heard the ambulance coming, and all of it made her feel sick.

Paris ceased to exist around them, black space surrounding them instead. They were the only thing that remained in her world. Marinette kept on crying against his shoulder, shaking violently. Chat kept on staring at the place where the other Marinette had been, flashes of blood still fresh in his mind. How he was holding on, he didn't know.

"Chat… I finally remembered. I remembered what happened that day. I-I'm-"

" _No_. I refuse to believe it. You're here, you're okay. You're okay," he repeated, almost trying to convince himself of that fact.

She observed their surroundings. "My world doesn't exist anymore. I don't even have my tablet with me. Where will I go now?"

"We'll find a place."

"Chat-"

" _We'll find a place._ "

She shook her head. "There's no place for me anymore, and you and me both know that. You've seen what happened to me, and we both know it's time to go. But-" her voice wavered, losing the last of her strength keeping her together. "I-I don't want to go. I don't want to lose you."

He cradled her face in his hands, drying the tears that kept on falling from her eyes. His eyes were serious and misted, and she could see the tears he tried desperately to hold. He placed his forehead in hers, and she closed her eyes, feeling his warm touch in her skin for the last time. She opened her eyes again, and couldn't stifle her sob at his steely gaze.

"You won't lose me, you hear me?" He cleared her bangs from her eyes. "I will find you. I don't care if it takes me days, months or years. I don't care where or when, in this life or another, but _I will find you_. I promise."

She let herself believe his worlds, her face marred in sadness as she pleaded for a little more time to spend with him. "Chat… come find me. I-I need you with me."

And wasn't it a good dream? Thinking that he would find her wherever she went, even in the afterlife. She knew what he was capable of when he put his head on it, but that was a foolish fantasy. She could already feel how their time together was running short. The wind around them picked up, seemingly alive. Blasts of air tugged them back, trying to separate them. His hold on her tightened, and she chocked on a sob.

"You're the best thing that has happened to me, Marinette. No matter how hard my life was, seeing your smiling face every day made it worth it. Your kindness, your softness, your courage… everything about you has enchanted me since the first day I met you. Every day I felt myself falling for you deeper and deeper, to a point of no return. I love you."

At that, Marinette buried her head in his chest, her hands fisting his shirt and pulling him closer. Her tears dampened his T-shirt, but he didn't care.

"I love you too," she said against him, and she could feel his heartbeat speed up despite everything. She raised her head to look at him. "How couldn't I? I didn't know how alone I was until you came. You made me laugh, you made me want to be a better person, you made my days unique and full of life. I cherish every single memory of us two, and I'm glad you're the last person I see before I'm gone."

He shook his head, and buried his head softly on her shoulder. "Don't- don't say that. Don't say it like it's the last time we'll see each other."

The wind blew stronger between them. It was hard to hold onto each other now.

"I'm really glad we met, Chat."

He began crying at that. "Don't you dare give up, Marinette. Please."

She shook her head, and a smile came to her lips despite everything. She wanted him to remember her like this, smiling and happy, not with her face drenched in ugly tears. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"What's your name?"

He was caught off-guard at the question, and chuckles burst from his lips without meaning it. He looked at her in the eye, a bitter smile on his lips. "My name is-"

A strong gust of wind swallowed his words. Marinette's eyes widened as she felt the strong tug, and grabbed at him desperately. She needed more time. Was it too much to have ten more seconds? There was so much she wanted to tell him, and so much she wanted him to tell her. How could have she possibly been so oblivious until then? Why had she taken everything around her for granted? She'd never felt more stupid in her life.

Now, as the only thing that connected them both was their hands, she couldn't stifle the scream of desperation, little by little, she felt their fingers slipping, despite their combined effort to stay together. Her mind felt like a broken record, muttering his name again, and again, and again.

She saw the fear in his eyes. Her desperation was mirrored in them, and beads of sweat dampened his forehead at the effort. His cat ears were against his head, and his tail whipped loudly at his back. She couldn't help but think he looked handsome like this.

Her hand slipped from his. He tried to lunge forward to grab her again, but only their fingertips touched. She was quickly falling, as there was nothing keeping her from doing it. She felt breathless, and there was a lump in her throat. She opened her mouth, but no sound came from it.

"MARINETTE!" he called for her, and his cry of anguish echoed in her ears. He was so far now, she could barely see his face. Her lips trembled as tears began falling again.

"Chat!"

It was no use. She couldn't see the blond boy anymore.

She let her hand drop and bawled her eyes out, screaming until her throat felt sore. This couldn't be the end! Why did she have to remember!? She didn't want any of this!

"Take me back!" she demanded to anyone that could hear her, "TAKE ME BACK TO HIM!"

It was useless. She kept shouting and crying until she felt numb. She was still falling, the dark void seemingly endless. She didn't have energy to fight anymore.

She knew that was her last minutes in here, but her thoughts were solely trained on him. Would he be alright? Would he remember her tomorrow, when she wouldn't be there to greet him? Or would he think this was all a dream, that she was only a part of it?

The space around her changed, going from the darkest of blacks to vibrant blues and greens, the sight calming her. All her doubts quietened down, and she let her eyes roam around.

He would remember her, just as she would remember him. Even if those memories made them sad, even when they realize they're lonely, and about to lose all hope, memories of them being together would make them stronger. Just as she hadn't been alone because of him, he wouldn't be alone because of the memory of her.

The current was too strong, and Marinette didn't try to fight it anymore. She understood it was the time to leave her world, to stop running away from her destiny. Come what may, she would take it with a smile on her face, and if it really was her end, well, she had lived a good life.

He had taught her this, after all. He'd shown her that it was okay to feel afraid, and that her fear could turn to courage if she was ready to protect her dear ones.

She let her eyes close, almost losing herself to the stream tugging her down. Her surroundings darkened, but her body falling didn't bother her anymore. She felt her eyes heavy, the space around her feeling warm just like his embrace. She smiled softly and closed her eyes, letting herself go. And just when she was about to lose all consciousness, she heard a door open.

* * *

 **I put it in AO3, but I forgot to mention it in Fanfiction; this story is based on Shelter, by Porter Robinson. Thanks to the guest that pointed it out to me ^^**


	2. His dreams

**Ch. 2. His dreams**

For Adrien, real life was something that happened between dreams. He'd always felt more comfortable in his dreamscapes, where nothing could harm him as reality did. It was a sweet escape from all the cruelty and the stifling uptightness, which seemed to follow him constantly in real life.

It wasn't as bad as first, when he had his mother beside him, but when she disappeared, reality was becoming more and more hard to bear with. The real world was gloomy and cold and greyish, while his dreams were wild, colourful and full of joy.

It wasn't always like this, though. Sometimes those dreams became nightmares that got him waking in the middle of the night screaming, and that haunted him until dawn. However, it was a risk he was willing to pay.

One of the most recurrent nightmares were of _that day_. He remembered the bittersweet smile on his mother's face before the door closed behind her, and no matter how much he screamed, she wouldn't come back. Those were the worst ones, and left him trembling in his sheets for hours.

Despite his nightmares, though, he was growing more and more detached to the real world as time went by. His father was getting colder, Chloe, his only friend, went from being a slightly demanding girl to an utterly spoiled brat. And Nathalie did her best, but there was so much she could do. She only was his father's assistant, and she had to obey his every command. There was even a time where he'd spent all his free time closed up in his room, sleeping, and he'd only wake up when he was needed.

His routine changed slightly when he met Nino, his best friend. He'd been a contestant on a TV show, and he was challenged to make his father dance to the rhythm of his music. There's no need to say he failed, but he'd picked up Adrien's interest. His music was really good, after all, and he seemed like a nice guy, so, determined to know the guy, she stole his contact info from Nathalie's PDA, and called him once he got to his room.

What he didn't remember was that he was… socially unexperienced, to say the least, and when Nino picked up the phone, he'd been totally lost on what to say.

To say the call had been awkward was an understatement. Nino, upon learning exactly who was calling, immediately jumped to conclusions, and thought that Adrien was calling to mock him, something far from the truth. However, they got around in the end; Adrien managed to compliment his music, Nino managed to apologize, but instead of falling into uncomfortable silences then, the conversation flowed smoothly from there.

That was how Adrien made his first Genuine Best Friend™. He began spending less time sleeping, and more time enjoying the little freedom he got. Nevertheless, although it was nice having Nino as a friend in real life, there was so much he could do; and he still loved to return to his dreaming at night.

And then, he met her.

With hair as dark as midnight sky and her cheeks covered in soft brown constellations, she was the epitome of sweetness. It was the first time he bumped into someone in a dream (someone who wasn't his mother in his nightmares, of course), so to see the sleeping girl beside him had surprised him.

He looked at her closely, maybe too close to be polite, but the curiosity won over his chivalrous thoughts. That was a dream, after all.

When she opened her eyes, the wind was knocked out of his chest. He had never seen eyes so blue in his life. She looked down at him curiously – _wait, why down? –_ and touched his ear, hesitant but curious.

"Are you… a cat?"

He looked down, dumbfounded, and god, he was! He had tiny paws, and a long tail and, wow, were those things he felt on his head cat ears? He tried to talk to her, but only mewing came out of his lips.

The girl, which he later learnt was named Marinette, gave him a name, and showed him her world. He had never seen anything like that. He would pinch himself to see if he was dreaming, but he already knew that answer. Marinette lead him on the way, and he was astounded with the amount of _detail_ that dream had.

There was something in her, thought. Something behind her wide smile screamed loneliness at his face. It wasn't too noticeable, but sadly, he knew where to look. He'd seen that look millions of times in the mirror. So, he reached for her, trying to erase that ugly scorch in her heart, and she gave in return the warmth he'd been yearning for. Her soft hands were a balm for his tattered heart, and her smile did things to his insides.

It had only been one night, and he doubted he'd see her again, but he wanted to make her happy, somehow.

When he woke up, he felt tingly and warm all over. He stared dazedly at the ceiling for five minutes, going through the dream again and again. He was surprised he remembered every tiny detail, from the lake with dancing fireflies, to the floating platforms, to her. Oh god, her.

She had been beautiful, floating in the air, her loose hair behind her and a carefree smile on her face. She had been beautiful when she had reached down to him and grabbed him to dance with the fireflies, and although there wasn't any music, he swore he could hear it sometimes.

He reached for his neck, subconsciously expecting to find her bell in there, but he found naked skin instead.

That day he hadn't been himself. His mind wandered repeatedly to his dream, and to her. Nino, the only one who noticed, decided it was best to wait for him to tell. Later that night, he looked at the bed, and for the first time, he was afraid of falling asleep. Because, if he didn't find her in the other side, it would be way too devastating, even worse if he had a nightmare. But at the same time, he was anxious to return there.

So, deciding to take the risk, he lied down and closed his eyes, trying to calm his thoughts and encompassing his breathing to the soft pattering of the rain outside. He felt his body drift off, a feeling of weightlessness overcoming him, and warmth spread around him, returning the tingling in the skin he'd felt all day.

A soft voice called for him then, and once he opened his eyes, he was met with her big blue eyes and bright smile. Her hand reached to pet his nape, and a purr came from his throat. She was there. Marinette was in his dream again.

Dreams became an important part of his routine again. However, he didn't hide from the real world as he did before. It was at night, when he would sometimes watch a film before going to sleep, he instead headed directly to his bed, going through the relaxation routine he'd invented himself years ago to fall asleep.

And Marinette was always at the other side. His nightmares disappeared, his dreams being full of her. His heart skipped a beat every time he saw her smile widen, his stomach erupted into thousands of butterflies when that sad gleam on her eyes disappeared, knowing that it was because of him.

Then, when he finally entered the dream as human (kind of), after hearing her saying he was _his kitty_ , and finally feeling her hand on his, he knew he was in too deep. But he couldn't find himself to care.

She hadn't cared he was no longer a cat, and they returned to their usual routine, exploring all the worlds brought to life from her drawings. He was astounded to see just how talented she was, how she could think on every tiny detail so the picture in front of them felt real. It came to a point where he really doubted that was really a dream. It felt too real to be just a dream. He could see, smell, hear, taste, touch just like he could do in the real world. She was too real to be only a dream.

He told her about his life, how dull and grey it was compared to that. He even managed to draw how his room – his fancy prison – looked like, and she explored every corner of it, eager to know every tiny detail of what she called his world. When her eyes landed on the portrait of his mother, she asked about her. He tried his best to hide the pain that those words brought him, but she noticed. Of course she did.

And his nights went by like this. When he fell asleep in the real world, he would wake up on her world, and when it was time to go, they would lie on her bed, cuddled together, and the softening of her breathing was the only lullaby he needed to drift off.

Adrien had never been so happy.

But he should've learnt by now that his happiness didn't last long. Because one day, the world glitched around them, and suddenly they were in Paris. The tablet was useless, and Marinette was clearly distressed. He tried to cheer her up, and urged her to explore, just like it was any other day on their life.

They arrived at the bakery. It looked just like the other buildings around them, but Marinette hesitated when she saw it. They went inside, and Adrien was a bit surprised to find people in there. It was like a really good virtual reality animation – they didn't see them, even one of them walked through them, the action giving him goose bumps.

Then, the cutest little girl sporting a ladybug costume walked in, and a sudden wave of nostalgia filled him. She was utterly adorable, in the way she threw herself to her mother, the woman behind the cash desk, in the way she babbled about how her day had been. She was…

Oh, god, she was Marinette.

For some reason, they began watching her past. Every time they opened a door, the other Marinette grew more and more, nearing every time the age of the girl beside him. He met her parents, he met her best friend, he learnt so much about her...

"Chat… when has it been the last time we've eaten?"

That question had startled him. He thought about it, but he couldn't recall a time where both of them had eaten anything. It didn't matter so much, right? This was a dream after all. They weren't hungry in dreams.

She froze at his answer, but he couldn't understand why. He called for her, and her eyes snapped up at him. She softened upon seeing him, and put her hands behind his back, but it was useless; he had already seen them trembling. No matter that, she kept on her brave façade, trying to hide what was going in her mind, so who was he to push about the matter? He gave up trying to find an answer, but he kept an eye on her, just to be sure.

They followed Other Marinette to the street. She seemed to flow around the people, her movements rushed but graceful at the same time. Marinette seemed to quicken her pace, a strange look on her face. He followed her, and the more they got closer to Other Marinette, the strangest Marinette behaved.

And then he saw the child, and the car coming right at him. And of course, Other Marinette had noticed too.

"No, no, no, NO, NO!" Marinette screamed beside him, and he finally understood. Because those were her memories, and if Marinette was reacting like this…

Other Marinette jumped in the way between the child and the car, and Adrien's eyes widened. Her arms draped around the child and she closed her eyes, readying herself for the impact. His eyes darted to his side, and saw Marinette's eyes glued to the pair, hazy with tears. He turned her around and tried to block her from everything around them, because, even though those were her memories, she didn't need to see it again.

The car finally ran into Marinette, and he had to close his eyes in horror. He felt Marinette flinch in his arms, and he was so sorry he couldn't protect her of that. He opened his eyes again, and the image of her slumped on the floor, the child bawling on her arms, chilled his blood. A pool of blood grew under them, and he had to force himself to look away.

People rushed to aid the girl and the child, but the voices muffled after a while. Reality began disappearing around them, and he couldn't help but feel glad that he didn't have to see her sprawled on the floor like that.

(It didn't matter anyway, because the image had been imprinted on his eyelids, and he doubted he could ever forget it.)

Marinette kept on crying against his shoulder, shaking violently, and he didn't know how he was holding on.

"Chat…" she muttered against his shoulder, "I finally remembered. I remembered what happened that day. I-I'm-"

He stopped her, because he couldn't believe that had been true, because he needed her to be okay. She _was okay._

She raised her head looked around, an almost defeated look on her face. He'd never seen her like this, and he hated it. "My world doesn't exist anymore. I don't even have my tablet with me. Where will I go now?"

"We'll find a place."

"Chat-"

" _We'll find a place._ "

She shook her head. "There's no place for me anymore, and you and me both know that. You've seen what happened to me, and we both know it's time to go. But-" her voice wavered, "I-I don't want to go. I don't want to lose you."

He cradled her face in his hands, drying the tears that kept on falling from her eyes. He wanted to let go, to let the tears his body begged him to spill fall from his eyes, but he held on. She looked so lost… she needed him to stay strong. He placed his forehead in hers, trying to convey everything he felt to her, and he saw her close her eyes at the touch.

"You won't lose me, you hear me?" He cleared her bangs from her eyes. "I will find you. I don't care if it takes me days, months or years. I don't care where or when, in this life or another, but _I will find you_. I promise."

And he would. Nothing would stop him from find her.

"Chat… come find me. I-I need you with me."

The wind around them picked up, seemingly alive. Blasts of air tugged them back, trying to separate them. His hold on her tightened, and she chocked on a sob. He felt their time running out, but there were still so many things he wanted to tell her… it hadn't been enough, the time they'd spent together. He needed so much more.

"You're the best thing that has happened to me, Marinette. No matter how hard my life was, seeing your smiling face every day made it worth it. Your kindness, your softness, your courage… everything about you has enchanted me since the first day I met you. Every day I felt myself falling for you deeper and deeper, to a point of no return. I love you."

At that, Marinette buried her head in his chest, her hands fisting his shirt and pulling him closer. Her tears dampened his T-shirt, but he didn't care.

"I love you too," she said against him. his breath caught in his throat, because _she loved him._ when had it been the last time someone had told him they loved him?

She raised her head to look at him, and he felt himself crumble at her warm yet sad gaze. "How couldn't I? I didn't know how alone I was until you came. You made me laugh, you made me want to be a better person, you made my days unique and full of life. I cherish every single memory of us two, and I'm glad you're the last person I see before I'm gone."

He shook his head, and buried his head softly on her shoulder. "Don't- don't say that. Don't say it like it's the last time we'll see each other."

The wind blew stronger between them. It was hard to hold onto each other now.

"I'm really glad we met, Chat."

He began crying at that. "Don't you dare give up, Marinette. Please."

"Can I ask you something?"

He raised his head from her shoulder, not caring that his eyes were red. "What is it?"

"What's your name?"

He was caught off-guard at the question, and chuckles burst from his lips without meaning it. He looked at her in the eye, a bitter smile on his lips. "My name is-"

A strong gust of wind swallowed his words. Marinette's eyes widened as she felt the strong tug, and grabbed at him desperately. He tried to hold on as strong as her, but the force pulling them apart was stronger than them. It wasn't enough. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to return to her world, where they could run wild without a care in the world.

Where she was still alive.

She screamed in desperation, and he felt it like a punch in the gut. Their fingers began slipping from their grasp, no matter how much they tried to hold on. He could hear her muttering the name she gave him like a broken record.

His eyes scanned her face, trying to convey in his mind every detail of the girl in front of her. Because this was likely to be the last time they saw each other. Her beautiful face contorted in desperation, and he was sure his face mirrored that expression. However, no matter what expression she wore, he couldn't help but think she was beautiful.

Her hand slipped from his. He tried to lunge forward to grab her again, but only their fingertips touched. She was quickly falling, as there was nothing keeping her from doing it. His eyes widened as he saw her body quickly falling to the void, the wind tugging him to the opposite direction.

"MARINETTE!" he called for her. He couldn't see her. The darkness was surrounding him, and he couldn't spot her.

Just when his vision blackened out, he heard her voice calling for him.

* * *

Adrien woke up with a start. He clung to the sheets of his bed as he panted, beads of sweat rolling down his face. He blinked, and memories of last night's dream, if he could call it that way, came to his mind. He clenched his fists and put his head against his knees. Keeping his eyes shut, he screamed against the sheets, not minding the itch in his throat.

That wasn't- She couldn't- He _refused_ to believe she was dead. She wasn't dead. He needed to see her. Needed to see her smile, to hear her laugh, to feel her touch in his head, petting his cat ears. He needed her in his life, and he absolutely refused to think they wouldn't meet again.

And so he began to cry. He let himself sob like he hadn't been able to whilst he was with her. She'd needed him to be strong for her, but now that she… now that she… he let his desperation run wild, not strong enough to control his bawls, screams, and his shaking. He felt his throat go sore, and his eyes puff out, but he didn't care. Why would he?

The bell of the flat startled him. He stared at the stained sheets, pondering if it was worth it to get up at all, when whoever was outside rung the bell again. He tried to control his breathing, dried his tears with a still dry spot, and stood up in wobbly legs. He stared at the door, not really sure if he wanted to open, and the person outside knocked at the door.

"Dude, you in there?"

It was Nino. Breathing deeply, he reached for the handle and opened, at the same time the other man rung the bell again. Adrien winced at the shrill sound. Great, now he had a headache.

"Hi- _dude._ What the hell happened?" he asked, his eyes going up and down his body, clearly noticing his distress.

Where did he start? With 'I started dreaming of a girl every night and I fell in love with her although I was pretty sure she was a figment of my imagination'? Or maybe he could start with 'I just found out the girl I loved loves me back seconds before she disappeared'. How about 'I'm 99% sure the girl I love is dead'?

"Bad dream," he muttered instead, and those words felt like poison in his tongue, because it was so much more than that.

"Again? I thought you stopped having those months ago."

… _When I started dreaming of her._

"Again."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Adrien just shook his head in answer. Talking about it would be like acknowledging that what happened was true. Talking about it was the last thing on his mind right now. He was barely holding on as it is, and if he talked about her…

Nino looked at him worriedly. "We can call it over, you know? I can call my girlfriend and tell her you're not feeling well, and we can stay here and watch some movies."

Her? Oh, _her._ Nino's girlfriend, the mysterious girl whose name he didn't know, the girl Nino'd been dating for months. He'd completely forgot about it. According to Nino, they'd stayed low because of her, because some family issues, or something like that. Adrien didn't think it was his place to ask.

He finally decided to tell him he'd been going out with a girl some weeks ago, and he'd wanted them to meet. However, between his modelling gigs, university and him moving out of his father's home, it had been impossible find a free spot in his crazy schedule, being his first free day this one.

He felt like shit, but he felt he owed Nino that, so he shook his head and threw in the most reassuring smile he could manage at the moment. It felt wonky and crooked.

"No, no! let's meet this mysterious girl. God knows when I'll have another free day."

Nino looked at him dubious. "You know we can meet any other time, right? Just say the word."

"No. We're meeting her today. Just… let me…?" He waved a hand at himself sheepishly.

"Go on, we have some time left."

He nodded and opened the door wider, letting Nino in. He closed the door behind them, and only when Nino was facing the other way, he dropped his smile with a wince. He rushed to the room, swallowing down the knot in his throat, leaving Nino at the living room.

"Whoa, dude. This flat's huge! And in the middle of Paris, too. How the hell do you manage to pay the rent?"

Adrien opened the faucet at the bathroom and cleaned his face. His eyes were still blood-shot and puffy. He went to his room and grabbed the first shit he found, and put it on.

"Modellin'," he said against the cotton fabric, "my father let me touch the money I made to pay the rent and food. I guess he doesn't want me to starve to death. A corpse doesn't look pretty with fancy clothing."

"… Maybe if you put enough makeup…"

That brought a small smile to his lips. "That, too."

"It's strange to see your father so accommodating, though. It's sad to say, but this is nothing like the Gabriel that kicked me out from your house just because I asked him to throw a party for your birthday."

He picked up some jeans lying around and put them on. "You and I know it was the way you asked, not the party what concerned him."

"I did nothing wrong."

"You made finger guns."

"There's nothing bad about finger guns!"

Adrien chuckled softly. He grabbed the jacket hanging on his desk chair, but hesitated before stepping out. It still was there, that desire to slump down and just cry until he felt numb, until there were no more tears in his body to spill, but that had to wait. Nino was first, then he could drop the façade and let himself feel. He was used to conceal his feelings, after all.

Taking two deep breaths, he stepped out to meet Nino.

"Ready?" he asked, but Adrien knew he was asking much more with that.

"Ready."

They walked out the apartment, and got to the nearest metro station. Adrien had no idea where they were going, so he let Nino guide him. They caught the metro, and chose to stay standing. And in all the way, Nino hadn't said a thing about their destination. That picked up Adrien's curiosity.

"So… where are we going?"

" _Hôtel-Dieu de Paris._ "

That stopped him in his tracks. He looked at Nino with wide eyes, trying to make sense of what he'd told him, but no matter how many times he thought about it, he couldn't make heads nor tails of it.

" _Hôtel-Dieu de Paris!?_ "

"That's what I said."

"Nino… why are we going to a hospital?"

He scratched his neck, uncomfortable. "My babe told me she was running a bit late, and she's asked me to meet her there."

"Is she okay?" he asked in concern

Nino's eyes widened. "Oh, yes! She's there for her best friend." He averted his eyes. "That was the reason why she wanted to stay low for a while. You see, her best friend has been in coma for a year and a half."

He whistled softly. "That's a lot of time."

"Yes, it is. She had an awful accident, you see? And she's been like this since then. She had surgery when she arrived to the hospital to relieve the swelling, but she hasn't been responsive. Even though she doesn't need life support, something that exceeded any doctor's expectations, she hasn't waken up yet."

"She's been in coma for one and a half years and she doesn't need life support?"

"Yeah, isn't it weird? She breathes on her own, she doesn't have any swelling nor brain damage, and her brainwaves are normal. She just doesn't wake up, and no one knows why. It's like she was sleeping, only for a really long period of time."

Huh, that sounded too much like a Disney story to be true.

They arrived at their stop, and both of them climbed down the metro, the hospital already in sight. Nino walked forward, and Adrien followed him absentmindedly.

He was thinking about that girl's story. Some years ago, he would've done anything to be like this, sleeping without stopping and not having to return to his everyday obligations, but he guessed he wasn't being fair thinking like this. Clearly, that girl had people who cared about her dearly, her parents and best friend, for starters. He was sure they were worried sick about her.

They reached the main hall of the hospital, and Nino stopped him. He looked down at his phone and scrolled down. "She's meeting us here in a tick."

They both looked around the busy hall, Adrien not really sure who he was looking for, to be honest.

"How does she look like?"

"Oh, I haven't told you? Well, she's shorter than me. She has brown wavy hair and tanned skin, and she usually wears dark glasses." He shrugs. "She also- oh, here she is. Hey babe!"

Nino began waving, and Adrien turned around to see her. A girl was coming closer, a big smile on her face. As Nino had said, her wavy hair was loose, the ends looking more reddish than brown. She was wearing a plaid shirt that matched her hair colour, and average denim jeans. She had a mole above her right eyebrow, but it fitted her.

Nino stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug, which she returned with a smile.

"Hi babe, I'm glad you made it. Everything okay up there?" Nino asked.

The girl shrugged. "Same as always. But hey, let's not be rude." She turned around to face Adrien, a big smile on her face. "Hi Adrien. I'm glad we finally got to meet. My name is-"

"Alya," the boy muttered, his eyes wide as saucers.

Neither Nino nor Alya had noticed that, when the blond boy's eyes had landed on Alya, he'd frozen. Because he had recognised the girl coming towards them. He'd seen her once, in a dream. A shallow breath escaped from his mouth when Nino and her hugged, because that meant that Nino's mysterious girlfriend was Alya.

Alya, who had wanted their relationship to stay low because of personal reasons. Alya, who had a best friend who had been in coma for a year and a half. Alya, who had just visited said friend.

Alya, whose best friend was Marinette.

Alya, who was looking at him with a frown, clearly confused. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

He grabbed her from the shoulders, ignoring her squeak in surprise and Nino's protests. He looked at her dead in the eyes, more serious that he'd ever felt in his life. Because he'd never faced such a serious event in his life. Not his mother going away, not watching _her_ slipping through his fingers. It was here, right at this moment, when he needed answers. And he needed them now.

"Alya! Where's Marinette!"

Her eyes widened. "Wha-?"

"You're Marinette's best friend. She's here. Where is she!?"

Her eyes narrowed, suspicious. "How do you know Marinette?"

"Does it really matter that much? _Where is she!?_ " hurt sipped in his voice, and Alya's eyes widened again, not prepared.

"T-third floor, room 314."

" _Thank you."_

He let her go and ran to the stairs, ignoring Nino's and Alya's cries. She was there. _She was there._ He'd never climbed up stairs as fast as he'd done it in that hospital. He ignored again the reproachful stares of the nurses, and the people he almost ran into. He crashed into a wall in a closed turn, but he just pushed his body forward and kept on running.

He could see it. Room 314. His strides quickened, and avoided the arms of a nurse trying to stop him. No one would stop him, not now. He reached for the door handle and opened it with a loud bang, not caring about the loud sound. He panted, trying to breathe in, but his eyes locked in her.

There she was. Her midnight hair was free from her usual twin pigtails, and it was a bit longer. Her face was peaceful, a soft blush dusting her freckled cheeks, and her plump lips curving in a little smile. Her hands, resting on her belly, looked as soft as he remembered. She looked as lovely as the first time he saw her, and his heart soared in happiness.

 _He'd found her._

He didn't dare to move. He didn't dare to take one step, afraid that his imagination was playing tricks with him. He closed his fists tightly, digging his nails to the flesh of his hands, and he was glad to feel the sting of new wounds. Tears of relief started falling down his face. _This was real, this was real, she was in front of him, it was real_.

Rushed steps stopped outside the room, and Alya and Nino joined to his panting.

"What the hell, dude. What's gotten into you?" Adrien ignored him. Nino grabbed his arm and turned him around. "Adrien-"

A loud gasp interrupted him. The threesome turned to the bed, only to see Marinette, wild awake, panting. Her fists were closed on the thin fabric of her sheet, and she was looking down. She raised her eyes, and panic left her gaze once her eyes landed on Adrien. First, it was confusion, then realisation, then warmth what filled those deep blue orbs he loved so much, at the same time her mouth formed a full grin.

"I didn't get your name in the end, _Chaton_."

He launched forward, shaking Nino's loose hold in his elbow, and tackled Marinette to the bed. His mouth was a broken record of her name, and tears flowed freely from his eyes. She accepted all of it, caressing his nape like she knew he loved, and humming in reassurance, trying to calm him down.

He put some distance between them, and caressed her cheek. He captured some loose tears with his thumbs, and let all the happiness, and relief, and pure _love_ show in his expression.

" _Marinette_ , you're okay. You're here."

She laughed watery. "I'm here." She leaned on his hand. "You found me, huh? Just like you said you would."

"What can I say; I'm a cat of honour."

"You are. You really are…" She rested her forehead on his, and closed her eyes. She whined. "I'm so glad to be here. I really thought…"

"Shush. It's okay. It doesn't matter now."

She nodded and raised her head. Her eyes landed on Alya, who had her mouth covered with both of her hands, and she could see her trembling from head to toe. She threw her the biggest grin she could muster up, and raised an arm at her direction, her hand open and inviting.

"You're not going to hug your best friend, Alya?"

Alya's face contorted before she threw herself to her best friend, sobbing on her shoulder. She laughed in her tears, and Alya babbled gibberish anyone could understand on her shoulder. Adrien never let her go, only made some space in the bed so Alya could fit in the cramped space.

Nino looked at the threesome hesitant, not really sure what to do. Marinette looked at him.

"I don't think I know you."

"O-oh. I'm Nino. Alya's boyfriend, and Adrien's best friend." He nodded at the still crying boy on the bed. "Uh… the blond mass attached to you."

"Nice to meet you, Nino. I'm Marinette. Why don't you join the human pile?"

"S-sure."

Nino walked towards them, clearly lost on what the hell was going on exactly, but threw his arms around all of them all the same, joining the human pile. They stayed like this for minutes, until a nurse came to their room and, upon seeing Marinette wide awake, the metallic tray she was holding fell to the floor.

She called for the doctor, and the three young adults were ushered out of the room, claiming they had to do some tests. They also called for Marinette's parents, and Adrien saw the couple he'd got to know in dreams rush to the room. Half an hour later, they came out, telling them the good news; apparently, Marinette was healthy and ready to be discharged.

Adrien was buzzling with repressed energy while he waited for Marinette to come out of the room, and ignored the curious glances Alya threw his way. She'd already given up on asking him questions, seeing as he hadn't answered a single one of them since they'd been there.

The door opened, and Adrien's eyes perked up. Marinette was standing at the doorway, her grin widening upon spotting him at the waiting room. He stood up at the same time she rushed to meet him, throwing her arms around him. He laughed and spun her around, too giddy to care about what anyone else would be thinking, and she giggled at the action.

He placed her on the floor, but didn't let her go. "Hello."

"Hi," she answered with a smile.

"Well," Tom started beside them, his loud voice echoing in the room, "I was going to tell you we needed to go, but it seems you have… matters to take care of." He eyed the blond boy. "I don't think I know you, son."

Adrien eyes widened. Now that he thought about it, wasn't it strange that a stranger hugged their daughter that way? He dropped his hands from her waist, feeling heat rush to his cheeks. He opened his mouth, but what at a loss of what to say.

"Yes, we do, Tom," Sabine interjected beside him, looking closely at the boy, "You're the son of Gabriel Agreste, right? He was Marinette's best friend in kindergarten." She looked him up and down. "You've grown so much…"

They both turned to each other, contemplative. Now that she said it… That's why she looked so familiar when they'd seen her with the ladybug costume!

"You were kitty…"

He nodded, a grin on his lips. "It seems we've known each other all this time, my Lady."

"Yeah…" she said breathless. Then something came to mind, and her eyes widened. "Wait. She said Gabriel Agreste. _You're_ Gabriel Agreste's son?"

"Yes…?"

She unexpectedly punched him on the arm. Man, she punched hard. "Why didn't you tell me!? I've been a fan of his work since I started wanting to be a designer!"

"It just didn't come to my mind?"

She punched him again. He was going to sport a bruise the next day, he was sure of it.

"Sweety?" Sabine called for her, torn between amusement and confusion. Marinette turned her head to look at her, and quickly dropped her fist, her cheeks aflame.

"Guys?" Alya interrupted, "as much as I'd love to see you two talking and… _stuff_ , I'm starving. I think we should leave the hospital and grab some food. Then we can _talk_. And yes, I'm looking at you two," Alya huffed at the sheepish-looking pair, "I swear to god, I haven't understood a single thing of what has happened since I picked you up at the hall."

"That seems like a good idea! Let's celebrate that Marinette has finally waken up! Adrien, Nino, you're free to come too."

"Thank you, Mme Cheng," Nino said.

"Yes, let's go all out! Adrien, we would love to know how have you been all these years."

He nodded. "Sure."

"Then let's go! The faster we get out of here, the sooner I'll get answers. And don't look at me like that, pretty boy. _I'll get my answers_. You owe me."

Everyone but Adrien laughed at Alya's antics, and one by one, they began leaving the waiting room. He was about to follow them, but a soft hand in his stopped him. He looked back to see Marinette fidgeting on her feet.

"What's wrong?"

Her eyes widened. "Nothing! It's just…" She waved a hand around the room. "This isn't my world anymore. It's strange to be somewhere and not being able to change my surroundings like I did before. I know it's stupid, but… I feel really weird."

"It's normal to feel this way. You've been in your world a lot of time, you'll need some time to get used to reality again."

She scrunched her noise. "Reality is _boring._ "

He laughed at that. "I know that feeling. I used to prefer my dreams to reality when I was younger. Reality was stifling while in my dreams I could be whoever I wanted, but now?" He raised her hand, turning it carefully and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. His gaze was intense, like a feline watching his prey. "Now I prefer reality over my dreams, more so if I can have you here with me."

"You can have me at both, Adrien. In dreams and in the real world," she answered passionately and he shuddered. He loved how his name sounded on her lips.

However, when she realized just what she'd implied, her eyes widened, an explosion of colour blooming at her face. He could see her physically retracting to herself in embarrassment, and he couldn't help but think how _cute_ she was being.

"Well, I mean, if you want me to be. I'm fine. I mean, I would love to, but it's okay if you don't want to, but I'd still love to stay friends?" she frowned and looked to the side. "No, that's not coming out like I want. What I meant to say is-"

He placed a hand on her cheek, silencing her. She looked up at him with wide eyes, waiting for him to say something. He grinned at the doe-eyed look she was throwing at him, and he thanked his stars for his luck.

"I already told you, didn't I? I love you, Marinette. In there and in here. I'm in love with you, and I'd love you to have you by my side. I'd love to meet your parents properly, I'd love to get to know Alya. I'd love to have dates with you and explore Paris like we explored your world. And I'd love to be able to talk to you, hug you, and kiss you whenever I please. Is that okay?"

She nodded, her eyes watering. "Y-yes. Yes to all. Yes, please. In fact, do it right now. Please."

He smirked, and placed his other hand on her cheek, cradling her face in his hands. She closed her eyes and leaned on them, a soft smile on her face.

"Whatever my Lady desires."

When he leaned down and captured Marinette's lips on his, time stood still. The noise around them quietened down, almost as if there was a bubble around them. There was anything else around them, just Marinette and Adrien. When their lips parted, time started again, and the world came back around them. He rested his forehead on hers.

"Marinette,"

"Hm?" she asked, her eyes still closed.

" _You rock my world."_

She groaned and got out of his embrace. "No, not the puns. Everything but the puns."

"Come on, you loved it."

Her eyes returned to him, a smile on her lips. "Yes, yes I did." She grabbed his hand. "Shall we go? I know for a fact that Alya is dying to know just how we met."

"Well, you can tell her that you walked with me once upon a dream."

"Now you'll start with the Disney references?"

He shrugged. "What can I say? You're a real Princess, Marinette."

"Which one of us is the princess here, _chaton_?"

He pouted. "I take offense to that."

She giggled as she tugged at his hand, urging him to get out of the room and follow the others. He looked at her parents, who threw them a warm yet knowing gaze at them. Then he looked at Nino, who had his arm around an impatient looking Alya, eager to get her answers.

His gaze returned to the girl holding his hand, who was looking at him expectantly in return. He felt a smile come to his face as they joined them, ready to leave the hospital.

Reality had never looked so good.

* * *

 **So the door Marinette heard before waking up was Adrien barging in her room at the hospital. Tsk, tsk, have some manners,** _ **chaton**_ **.**

 **Leisey is witness of how emotional I was when I was writing the part of Adrien meeting Alya, and him running to Marinette's room. My hands were shaking the entire time, I kid you not.**

 **Aww, I feel kinda sad to see this over. Now I want to write the sappiest epilogue for those two.**


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